The NutsData portal, launched by Portugal Nuts - Associação de Promoção de Frutos Secos (Dried Fruit Promotion Association), was born out of the need to gain a more in-depth understanding of the matrix of its members in the field and has already provided detailed information on the data collected for the 2023 campaign. "The INE's data on these crops is almost a year late. With NutsData, we receive and process data from members in a short time and make the information available almost immediately," António Saraiva, executive director of the PortugalNuts association, explained to Hipersuper.
What led Portugal Nuts to create the NutsData portal? And what stands out about the data compiled by the portal?
We were motivated by the need to get to know the matrix of our members on the ground in greater depth, ensuring the confidentiality of the data reported and giving them the chance to compare themselves with the sample, which is made up of all members. I would highlight the fact that we obtained data in a timely manner - in the middle of the season and post-harvest - and continuously over time. INE data on these crops is almost a year late. With NutsData, we receive and process data from members in a short time and make the information available almost immediately.
He revealed that the producers' almond area, 17,414 hectares, is producing 30% of its total potential, which it should reach in 5/6 years. Are these almond groves planted using 'more modern' techniques?
Yes, they are only producing 30% of the productive capacity that the almond trees will be able to reach when they reach maturity. Yields gradually increase up to the 7th or 8th year of age and from the 3rd year onwards (the age from which the trees are considered to start producing). All the almond groves recorded in NutsData are high-density or very high-density almond groves, canopied or hedged, with drip irrigation and where harvesting is carried out using different types of machinery.
What challenges are and will producers face in order to continue to increase production and reach the projected 60,000 tons?
The challenges of climate change: availability of water for irrigation, weather events that could affect flowering/fruiting and the harvest, the appearance of new pests and diseases, the performance of the different varieties in the face of these situations, but also the evolution of the global market and the demand for almonds.
In 2023, how much will these 17,414 hectares mean in terms of production? And overall, will the 20,000 tons of kernels that Portugal Nuts has projected for 2023 continue?
This area produced 7,900 tons of kernels, according to NutsData. The 20,000 tons that we projected as the national total can only be validated at the end of June or the beginning of July, according to JNE data for 2023. This volume would mean a growth of 20% compared to 2022, compared to the 15% forecast by INE. I think we'll be close to our forecast in percentage terms. I find it difficult to say anything about the absolute volume, as the volume reported by INE for 2022 differs from our estimate for that year. Let's wait.
Has the Alentejo - and Alqueva - changed the landscape of almond and walnut production?
Yes. As far as almonds are concerned, the Alentejo will have already surpassed Trás-os-Montes in terms of area in 2023 and in terms of volume produced, it had already achieved this in 2020. But this crop is also growing significantly in Ribatejo and Beira Interior, in terms of area, although to a much lesser extent.
As for walnuts, the area dedicated to the crop in the Alentejo surpassed Trás-os-Montes in 2017 and in terms of production it already did so in 2011.
In an interview with the Hipersuper newspaper last March, he said: "The internationalization of the Portugal brand in nuts and dried fruit is a goal that we will try to achieve this year. Is this still the case? What is being done to make it a reality?
It's important that we explore this avenue, as we are very closely linked to what Spain does, due to its processing, transformation and export capabilities. It's our main client, with a big difference to other destinations.
We'll have to assess the situation with our members and develop a project that can be financed to this end. We need to have a voice of our own, even though a campaign is underway to promote the Iberian almond in northern European markets, appealing to the quality of its production and final product, calling for its consumption and industrial use.
Source: Hipersuper, 1 June 2024
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